MovieChat Forums > Pippi Långstrump (1969) Discussion > SPUNK-SPUNK-SPUNK? WTF? I Had to cover m...

SPUNK-SPUNK-SPUNK? WTF? I Had to cover my Niece's ears!?

posted 16 years ago by openstorage
12 replies | jump to latest

Yes, you heard me right. At one point in the film Pippi is obsessed with calling everything spunk, and this lasts for a good 10 minutes or so!? For UK residents, this is not the sort of thing you want your kids hearing or repeating. Great film for kids, my niece loved it, what she seen of it anyways, but the inapropriate language, albeit unintentional, totally makes it out of the question for kids viewing.

The stupidest cultural error in dubbing ever!

[–] crystalprincess 16 years ago

What does "spunk" mean in the UK? I'm from the US and the connotations of "spunk" are harmless here.

"Stupid sexy Flanders"

[–] antonio_uq 16 years ago

Sperm. Semen. Male ejaculate. Cum. Come. Jizz. And so on.

[–] cwr038 16 years ago

Come on, I'm jizz semen that hard to believe. Sperm me your whining.

[–] luv0817 15 years ago

Um, I'm from the US too and "spunk" means the same thing as it does in the UK; however, it's more slang today and like most words, means something completely different than originally intended.

Spunk or spunky is what they would use to describe Pippi, as in, "She has spunk" or "She's spunky". Just like any other word, meanings change.

Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable. - P&P

[–] Kpocc 14 years ago

Um, no it doesn't, luv0817, and it never has, it's always meant feisty in a good way.
Someone in your circle thinks they're UK cool.

[–] kapow1999 15 years ago

Wow,I didn't make that association at all.

But then my mind isn't full of smut.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] trollomatic 11 years ago

<<<Spunk" is a bona fide word, so there wasn't anything wrong with them using it.

right. The only bad word I ever heard Pippi say in the original 1970's English dub was when she said "damn".

Bow, I don't remember exactly why little Pippi was swearing up a storm.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ryuuseipro 11 years ago

In the original Swedish version (German compilation film editing notwithstanding), Pippi indeed said "spunk." This is in the original Swedish books, too. In English-translated versions of the original books, it was changed to "spink."

[–] carpediemalready 9 years ago

There is nothing wrong with the word spunk, though, in English- like others have said, it is only the slang version that means semen... the actual definition of the word:

noun
1.
pluck; spirit; mettle.
2.
touchwood, tinder, or punk.

Some people just like to freak out about everything. And covering a kid's ears is a sure-fire way to make them obsessed with hearing what the "naughty" word is and repeating it. What you withhold from kids, they want even more.

"We all go a little mad sometimes." - Norman Bates

[–] liscarkat (16483) 9 months ago

Spunk means plucky energy

Gay means cheerful

Queer means strange

Remember English?